After the heats on Friday and Saturday, the classification is led by Bertuca in KZ2, Bondarev in OK, Schaufler in OKJ, Bogdan Cosma Cristoforin OKNJ, Miron Lorente in MINI Gr.3, Nellegard and Perico in MINI Gr.3 U10. TV Live Streaming coverage on Sunday, January 28th.
The conclusion of the elimination heats has determined the finalists of the first round of the WSK Super Master Series at the South Garda Karting circuit in Lonato. This comes after 37 tightly contested races were needed to select the finalists from the 318 participating drivers in this globally renowned event. With representation from 50 nations and the participation of all major manufacturers and highly qualified teams, it has been a truly international and competitive gathering.
KZ2 - Bertuca is unstoppable.
Cristian Bertuca (#1 BirelART Racing/BirelART-TM Kart-Vega) completed a clean sweep of victories in KZ2, winning all three heats. The Italian driver has zero penalties. The winner of the recent WSK Champions Cup, the Estonian Markus Kajak (#14 Maranello SRP/Maranello-TM Kart), remained competitive in this event, securing second place in the provisional standings after claiming a heat victory. Daniel Vasile (#4 BirelART Racing/BirelART-TM Kart) notched up two heat wins, but the Romanian driver fell behind in the standings due to a retirement in his second heat. The French poleman Emilien Denner (#11 Sodikart/Sodi-TM Kart) continued to perform well. Following him were the German Daniel Stell (#27 Dorr Motorsport/KR-Iame), the Frenchman Matteo Spirgel (#10 CPB Sport/Sodikart-TM Kart), the Spaniard Pedro Hiltbrand (#16 BirelART Racing/BirelART-TM Kart) and the Italian Andrea Dalè (#24 Dalè/CRG-TM Kart).
OK – Bondarev dominates OK.
Oleksandr Bondarev (#201 Prema Racing/KR-Iame-LeCont) continues to dominate in OK. The Ukrainian driver, after securing pole position in qualifying, went on to win all three of his heats, consistently maintaining the lead in the races and for his competitors, he seemed truly unreachable. In the other heats, two victories went to the Italian Sebastiano Pavan (#218 Tony Kart Racing Team/OTK-Vortex), who placed second in the overall standings, ahead of Anatoly Khavalkin (#223 Parolin Motorsport/Parolin-TM Kart) and Belgian Ean Eyckmans (#209 BirelART Racing/TM Kart). The Colombian Salim Hanna (#208 Prema Racing/KR-Iame) also secured a heat win.
OKJ - Schaufler on top of the classification of the heats.
In the ten heats contested in OKJ, the Austrian Niklas Schaufler (#301 DPK Racing/KR-Iame-Vega) prevailed with three victories and a second-place finish. On the other hand, the Belgian Dries Van Langendonck (#328 Forza Racing/Exprit-TM Kart) regretted a retirement in his last heat after three wins that had placed him at the top of the standings. With the retirement, the Belgian driver slipped back in the heat classification. The fortunes rose for Finn Sebastian Lehtimaki (#368 Tony Kart Racing Team/Tony Kart-Vortex) with two heat victories, as well as for the Italian Iacopo Martinese (#309 KR Motorsport/KTR-Iame) and German Arjen Kraeling (#308 KR Motorsport/KR-Iame), both securing a heat win. Among the top performers was also the Spanish poleman Christian Costoya (#337 Parolin Motorsport/Parolin-TM Kart)
OKNJ – Ful haul for Bogdan Cosma Cristofor.
The Romanian Bogdan Cosma Cristofor (#711 Forza Racing/Exprit-TM Kart-Vega) has dominated the top spot, securing three victories in the three heats, after also claiming pole position in the qualifiers. In the provisional standings after the heats, the other top positions are occupied by the Italian Pietro Bagutti (#701 Gamoto/Tony Kart-TM Kart), the Slovakian Alex Molota (#717 Firefly/Gillard-TM Kart), Swiss Kais Aziza (#725 Gamoto/Tony Kart-TM Kart), and another Italian Ludovico Mazzola (#713 Mazzola/Exprit-Vortex), despite all these drivers being involved in a multiple-incident in the third and final heat. Somewhat further back was one of the main protagonists from the last round of the WSK Champions Cup, Italian Valerio Viapiana (#702 Team Driver/KR-Iame), now forced into a significant recovery.
MINI GR.3 - Miron Lorente is the best after the heats.
With two victories, the Spanish pole-sitter Daniel Miron Lorente (#501 Team Driver/KR-Iame-Vega) leads the provisional standings after the heats, followed by Daniil Kutskov (#508 Team Driver/KR-Iame) and the American Alessandro Truchot (#510 BabyRace/Parolin-Iame). Among the top contenders in the standings is also the Estonian Nikita Ljubomov (#552 Kalì Kart/TGroup-TM Kart). The Ukrainian Oleksandr Legenkyi (#503 Team Driver/KR-Iame) maintained a good position with a victory in the second heat, while the winner of the last WSK Champions Cup, the Italian Cristian Blandino (#550 Kalì-Kart/TGroup-TM Kart), recovered from an unlucky start with a win in the third heat.
MINI GR.3 U10 - Nellegard and Perico keep their momentum.
After the initial heats on Friday, in the MINI Gr.3 Under 10 category, the Swedish pole-sitter Carl Nellegard (#553 Ward Racing/Tony Kart-TM Kart-Vega) and Italian Niccolò Perico (#526 Energy Corse/Energy-TM Kart) continue to dominate with two victories each. The Italian Lorenzo Di Pietrantonio (#511 BabyRace/Parolin-Iame) has secured two wins, but a negative result in the first heat placed him further back in the standings. Behind Nellegard and Perico, the American Lucas Palacio (#575 KR Motorsport/KR-Iame) was followed by the Greek Jason Kosmopoulos (#558 CRG Racing Team/TGroup-TM Kart), the Scottish Mason Robertson (#513 BabyRace/Parolin-Iame) and the Italian David Moscardi (#560 BirelART Racing/BirelART-TM Kart).
The program of WSK Super Master Series, Rd1 Lonato:
Sunday, January 28th: warm-up at 8:00; Live on TV and Live Streaming from 9:30 Prefinals and Finals from 12:45 (12:45 MINI U10, 13:15 MINI GR3, 14:00 OKJ, 14:30 KZ2; 15:00 OK; 15:30 OKNJ).